56 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
where the stalk is united to the husk. This fibrous 
sponge ultimately absorbs the water, and fills the 
concavity, dissolving the hard kernel, and com¬ 
bining it with its own substance, so that the shell, 
instead of containing a kernel and milk, encloses 
only a soft cellular substance. While this truly 
wonderful process is going on within the nut, a 
single bud or shoot, of a white colour but hard 
texture, forces its way through one of the holes in 
the shell, perforates the tough fibrous husk, and, 
after rising some inches, begins to unfold its pale 
green leaves to the light and the air; at this time, 
also, two thick white fibres, originating in the same 
point, push away the stoppers or coverings from the 
other two holes in the shell, pierce the husk in an 
opposite direction, and finally penetrate the ground. 
If allowed to remain, the shell, which no knife 
would cut, and which a saw would scarcely pene¬ 
trate, is burst by an expansive power, generated 
within itself; the husk and the shell gradually 
decay, and, forming a light manure, facilitate the 
growth of the young plant, which gradually strikes 
its roots deeper, elevates its stalk, and expands its 
leaves, until it becomes a lofty, fruitful, and grace¬ 
ful tree. 
There are many varieties of the cocoa-nut tree, 
in some of which the fruit is rather small and 
sweet. For each variety the natives have a 
distinct name, as well as for the same nut in its 
different stages of perfection. I have the names 
of six sorts, but it is unnecessary to insert them. 
The juice of the nuts growing on the sea-shore 
does not appear to partake, in any degree, of the 
saline property of the water that must constantly 
moisten the roots of the tree. The milk of the 
nuts from the sandy beach or the rocky mountain. 
